How we are getting on!
Birmingham Irish • May 15, 2020
Here at BIA, we feel it is our duty to ensure that our beloved elders and those in need in our community are kept safe, protected and loved, especially during these recent critical times. Therefore, we have extended our services in a number of ways to ensure that our advice and assistance is easily accessible for all during the current circumstances.
Our dedicated Covid-19 helpline (0121 604 6111) has been and is currently in operation from 9:00am to 8:00pm, 7 days a week for those who need a hand to get shopping done, have concerns about a loved one or even those who would just like a listening ear to have a chat with. As part of our new helpline service, we have also been offering pastoral support via our wide network of churches and places of worship.
We also understand the loneliness and mental struggles that individuals in our community are currently facing whilst socially isolating. In order to help combat this, we have created our own video content in the form of family quizzes, meditation videos and online seated exercise classes available to watch through our YouTube channel. This has been extremely popular and has helped to bring families together and provide gentle exercises for the body and mind.
For our specialised clients, the mental health aspects of the current social isolation adjustment can be especially tough. To make this vast lifestyle adjustment as comfortable for them as possible, we have been giving regular wellbeing calls and making entertainment tablets available to borrow which hold a variety of film, TV, literature and gaming content. As soon as clients have watched their designated content, devices are rotated by us in order to provide a steady stream of varied entertainment for all individuals we care for.
As soon as we heard of the physical struggles surrounding lack of food and basic items at the supermarkets, especially for those socially isolating and without loved ones to help logistically, we knew we had to help. Since then, we have facilitated care package and hot meal delivery services to those in the community that have limited accessibility.
In partnership with our incredible friends at the Warwickshire GAA organisation, we have also implemented our 'Clubs Together' initiative, a food bank service providing a mixture of fresh basics and non-perishables across the city to those without family or friends that can help during the current restrictions.
Through us working together, donations are collected locally at the four GAA clubs based in Birmingham: John Mitchells, Sean McDermotts, Erin Go Bragh and St Brendans in a rotational basis at pre-scheduled times and then delivered en masse to our conjoining Parish Hall, St Anne's. The donations are used by our staff to create varied shopping bags and distribute to the general public from the hall whilst maintaining government social distancing guidelines. Four weeks into the initiative has seen an absolutely overwhelming effort from the members and supporters of all clubs with over 800 shopping bags distributed so far to those in acute need.
A message we received from a member of our community, Marianne:
"Thank you so much for the food delivery made to my parents. Mum has Alzheimer's and my dad is her full time carer, so can't get out to the supermarket. I don't live close enough to be much help. I've had trouble getting online food deliveries for them, and don't have access to a car to get shopping to them. It really is appreciated. Thank you for being there for them.”
As an organisation, we are so incredibly proud of the generosity in our community and the way in which people are pulling together to provide love, hope and support to those who desperately need it to cope with the difficult times we are facing. It is certainly something to behold and cherish, not only in these circumstances but also during brighter times ahead.
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We publish news and project updates keeping you up to date with details regarding our services and events, as well as other local developments and other news that will be of interest to our clients as well as other visitors.
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Birmingham Irish Association
45 Alcester Street, Deritend
Birmingham, B12 0PY
West Midlands
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